


Why didn't you say that earlier (John Marston/Arthur Morgan)

by cowboywithnolife



Category: Red Dead Redemption (Video Games)
Genre: Angst, M/M, Slow Burn, Tags Are Hard
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-21
Updated: 2020-04-21
Packaged: 2021-03-02 02:47:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,638
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23767960
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cowboywithnolife/pseuds/cowboywithnolife
Summary: John ran from camp just before his son was born, leaving his family and friends behind in a fright or flight response. His closest friend, Arthur, resents his actions and never learnt why anyone would do such a thing.
Relationships: Hosea Matthews & Dutch van der Linde, Hosea Matthews/Dutch van der Linde, John Marston & Arthur Morgan, John Marston/Arthur Morgan, Sadie Adler & Abigail Roberts Marston, Sadie Adler/Abigail Roberts Marston
Kudos: 19





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I'm so sorry in advance, writing isn't my strong suit but I enjoy it regardless. I am also new to posting on AO3 so sorry if formatting is wonky.

He sat in his tent, isolated. His friends all out and about talking to each other, happy. His family were smiling and laughing, almost like he never existed. Is this his own doing? Being avoided by his friends and family? He deserved this. He abandoned them, it's only fair that they can do the same. He's lucky to be here in the first place. 

It had been only a few months since that incident and John had proven himself to be more of an idiot than his peers believed. Almost getting caught by the law, getting caught in the snow and getting mauled by wolves. Not to mention the event that caused all of this, running away from camp for a whole year like a total dick. 

John almost regretted returning to camp, he felt he'd feel better out in the world where he could run from his problems. Here he only gets judging looks, he was the bad guy within a group of murderers and thieves. 

"Aye John, mind helping me with this?" Hosea stood by the entrance of his tent, holding an arm full of small logs that were suitable for the camp fire. "There isn't many but, this old man can't do it all on his own." He grinned.

John stood up. "Yeah of course, no issue." He looked just outside his tent, spotting a smaller wagon half filled with the logs. Some already to be sliced in half ready to go into the fire but others were full tree length. He pointed to them, Hosea nodded having John go off to retrieve some said logs and return back. "I did cut what was at the post this morning."

"I know, but Charles and Arthur went out to get some more afterward." The pair began walking to the drop off area. 

John rolled his eyes almost at the thought. Those two had been spending so much time together, almost like Arthur had replaced him with after he left. Hosea had mentioned that Charles Smith only joined a couple months before John had returned, it didn't look like it. They were acting like Dutch and Hosea back when he was younger. 

"Maybe you can cut the rest of these when we're done, aye?" Hosea interrupted his train of thought, the pair were already heading to the drop off with round two of logs.

"Oh, yeah yeah of course." He dropped his load on the ground with the remainder of the logs alongside Hosea. 

"You looked spaced out there, is everything alright?"

John looked towards Hosea for a moment. "I'm fine, honestly." He didn't looked convinced, there had to be a better excuse. "I just, I was wondering if there was more I could do for the camp. Like helping out with bringing in money, or anything outside camp."

"Has Dutch not given you anything? Or no one calling you along for missions?" He shook his head as they both picked up what remained of the logs. "Oh, well I didn't realize. Do you want me to ask Dutch about it? Until then you should ask around yourself."

"I already have, no one wants me around. Most wouldn't even give me the time of day."

Hosea sighed, stopping as they each put down the remainder of the logs. "I'm sorry you're dealing with that son, is it all because of you running off on us?" John nodded. "Well... I'm sorry to say but that's all on you. It's good to see you trying to make an amends, but my advice is just talking to people and explain why. I don't even know why."

John only nodded, hearing exactly what he expected him to say but was afraid to think about. "I'm trying, I mean I'm talking to you right?"

"I talked to you John, but I do know you talked to Uncle and Javier the other day so you're getting there." Hosea placed a gentle hand on Johns back, giving him a small rub. "You'll get there, I believe you will."

Off he went, back to the main part of camp to be with everyone else. John watched him go, almost missing the conversation, as bad as it was. He looked behind him to where to the ax and wood were, now was a better time than any to get these all done for the camp to use later. 

—————

John had gotten half way through the supply as dusk rolled by; he didn't want to over do himself. He stopped and looked to camp. Most were preparing for dinner; he was hungry himself. Was it a good idea to head over now? Possibly not. He entered his tent, grabbing out a tin of fruit from his satchel and sitting on his bed. 

As he continued to look to the camp, he focused on the usual couple of people. His ex, Abigail and son, Jack, were getting ready for bed. She had started talking to one of the camp's newest members, Sadie Adler. She has been a better father than he has been to the boy and that was awful to watch, but he left for more than just disbelief that Jack was his.

The other person he watched was Arthur, who sat with Charles. John would love to make amends with Arthur, but he was most upset with him, almost as much as Abigail. He couldn't think why. They both knew one another like the backs of their hands, now with Charles in the picture, he felt unreachable. If only he could go back in time and change what he did, maybe their relationship would be different. Is it fixable? John had no faith that it was.

So he sat alone in his tent, eating soggy strawberries from a tin can with his fingers. How could he get out of this mess? Because running away wasn't a good answer, as previously learnt.


	2. Chapter 2

Arthur sat back down by Charles, keeping warm in the light of the fire. He was greeted with a smile and a drink. "So what did Hosea want?"

"He wants me to take John out on my next mission, says he's miserable."

Arthur scoffed. "Of course he is, he thinks he's an entitled little shit."

Charles nodded and took a sip of his drink, he'd heard this story over and over. Don't get him wrong, he thoroughly enjoyed Arthur's company but if there was one flaw to turn anyone away it would be his incessant wining about John Marston and the poor decisions he had made. 

"First he gets himself caught up in family business then runs off on them like he's still a child himself. Selfish is what he is. Could say Dutch taught him that but I didn't turn out that fucked up." Arthur ranted. Same old, same old. Charles was just waited and listened for the few minutes Arthur rambled on, he was lucky he was very patient. 

"Have you ever tried talking to John and possibly... asking what was going through his mind? Try and understand his point of view?" Charles explained, watching his friend turn to look off out into a darker area of camp.

Arthur fixated on John's tent, he could see the man eating tinned food quietly in solitude. "Nah, I ain't talking to him about shit." He downed a couple gulps of his bottle. "He should be-"

"Yes Morgan, we know what he should be doing." Charles pushed in before Arthur could finish, he turned in resentment. "I will go talk to him and invite him on my own mission if I have to, you don't need to come along but I'll talk to him about it."

Arthur looked at Charles, this was the opposite to what he wanted. He didn't want to talk to him, he already knew why John did what he did, Charles was just going to make things worse. At least that's what he thought. "You can't do that Charles."

"Look, its a pain in the ass to have you act like this all the time and I'm not the only one in camp who's sick of the tension between people and John specifically." Charles explained, he got up to his feet and looked down at Arthur. "Hosea is thinking the same, I know I wasn't here before he left but I didn't stay here with you guys for camp drama. Just think about it over night, I'm heading to bed and when I get up, I'm taking John out for hunting."

The pair looked to each other, Arthur was riling with so many emotions as Charles was just simply annoyed. He had put up with this for too long, and personally to Charles, he hated to see people out casted. Arthur was so obsessed with the idea that John was the bad guy, and when Charles asked more about it Arthur would just provide an unrelated explanation. Sympathy was his greatest strength but sometimes his biggest flaw. 

"I'll talk to you tomorrow, Morgan." He walked off, leaving Arthur at the fire alone. 

Charles just didn't understand the situation, Arthur thought. He wasn't there. He wasn't the one thrown away and left in the dust. He just... he just didn't understand.. But should he let him go tomorrow morning or convince his friend to continue to avoid John? Charles seemed annoyed, and Arthur didn't want to loose him as well. Arthur knew he was getting on Charles nerves, he could see him turn away with a sigh every-time he brought up the name. But even if there is more to the story, John isn't just going to say it, he's never that simple. Man, or more suitable, kid, can barley read or write. 

But there isn't more to the story, the book closed the day he decided to look out for number one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this should be the end of the intro chapters, now for character progress ig


End file.
